Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study

Racz, Jason I.; Perkes, Iain E.; Bialocerkowski, Andrea; Dyason, Katelyn M.; Grisham, Jessica R.; McKenzie, Matthew L.; Farrell, Lara J.

doi:10.3390/children12020156

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Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study

by

Jason I. Racz

¹

,

Iain E. Perkes

^2,3,4

,

Andrea Bialocerkowski

⁵

,

Katelyn M. Dyason

^3,4

,

Jessica R. Grisham

⁶

,

Matthew L. McKenzie

¹

and

Lara J. Farrell

^1,7,*

¹

School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia

²

Discipline of Paediatrics & Child Health, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

³

Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

⁴

Department of Psychological Medicine, The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Westmead, NSW 2145, Australia

⁵

Griffith Health, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia

⁶

School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

⁷

Centre for Mental Health, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Children 2025, 12(2), 156; https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020156

Submission received: 12 December 2024 / Revised: 10 January 2025 / Accepted: 27 January 2025 / Published: 28 January 2025

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorders in Children: Epidemiology, Diagnosis and Treatment)

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Abstract

Objectives: Informed by implementation science, this exploratory study examined the capabilities, opportunities, and motivations of Australian mental health clinicians (N = 38) associated with the implementation of exposure and response prevention (ERP) for youth (i.e., children and adolescents) with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It also explored how the capabilities and motivations of mental health clinicians untrained in ERP for youth (i.e., typical clinicians; n = 25) differed from clinicians experienced in the use of ERP for youth (i.e., experienced clinicians; n = 13). Methods: Questionnaires were administered to the entire sample alongside observational role-plays, which assessed observed adherence and competence delivering ERP against published best-practice standards among available participants. Results: In the whole sample, the reported time dedicated to implementing ERP was associated with a range of factors relating to capabilities, opportunities, and motivations to implement ERP. Experienced clinicians had greater knowledge, adherence, competence, and self-reported confidence using ERP and fewer negative beliefs about ERP relative to typical clinicians. They also intended to dedicate greater time to implementing within-session ERP for youth and reported greater within- and between-session time spent doing so compared to typical clinicians. The time intended to dedicate to implementing between-sessions ERP did not significantly differ between the clinician groups. Conclusions: In summary, compared to typical clinicians, experienced clinicians appeared to possess greater levels of capabilities and motivations to implement ERP for youth with OCD. Future research examining barriers and facilitators of ERP implementation in community settings and identifying effective strategies to improve it would benefit service provision and, ultimately, outcomes for youth.

Keywords: implementation; cognitive-behavioral therapy; exposure and response prevention; pediatric; obsessive-compulsive disorder

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MDPI and ACS Style

Racz, J.I.; Perkes, I.E.; Bialocerkowski, A.; Dyason, K.M.; Grisham, J.R.; McKenzie, M.L.; Farrell, L.J. Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study. Children 2025, 12, 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020156

AMA Style

Racz JI, Perkes IE, Bialocerkowski A, Dyason KM, Grisham JR, McKenzie ML, Farrell LJ. Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study. Children. 2025; 12(2):156. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020156

Chicago/Turabian Style

Racz, Jason I., Iain E. Perkes, Andrea Bialocerkowski, Katelyn M. Dyason, Jessica R. Grisham, Matthew L. McKenzie, and Lara J. Farrell. 2025. "Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study" Children 12, no. 2: 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020156

APA Style

Racz, J. I., Perkes, I. E., Bialocerkowski, A., Dyason, K. M., Grisham, J. R., McKenzie, M. L., & Farrell, L. J. (2025). Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study. Children, 12(2), 156. https://doi.org/10.3390/children12020156

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Australian Clinicians’ Capabilities, Opportunities, and Motivations in Implementing Exposure and Response Prevention for Youth with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Exploratory Study

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